LIFE expectancy levels in Northern Ireland have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with an average age of 78.8 for men and 82.5 for women.
While average lifespans have nearly doubled across the world in the last century, the new figures from the Department of Health show this trend has stalled.
Since 1980-82, life expectancy increased by seven years for women and 9.6 years for men.
This is despite a downward trend in 2017-19 and 2020-22, with the latest figures for 2021-23 showing the return to pre-pandemic levels.
Also in 2021-23, life expectancy at age 65 was 18.5 years for men and 20.7 years for women - with no significant change over the last five years.
Other findings showed little change for how long people could expect to remain healthy and disability-free.
For 2021-23, men could expect 60.3 years in could health compared to 59.2 years in 2017-19, while the Health Life Expectancy (HLE) remained at 61.4 years for women.
There was no major change in five years for the Disability-Free Life Expectancy (DFLE) at 57.4 years for women and 58.2 for men.
In October, research suggested that human life expectancy was slowing down after nearly doubling over the last century.
While healthier diets and medical advances have prolonged life, experts said the focus should shift to extending the number of years people can enjoy good health.
The research from the University of Illinois also went against previous predictions that most people born today could expect to live past 100.
In July, the Health Minister Mike Nesbitt also spoke of Northern Ireland’s “shocking” health inequalities which included women in Northern Ireland’s most deprived communities living 14 fewer years in good health than in the most affluent areas.
